Shoe-sewing machine.



No. 684,538. Pa tente d Oct. l5, I901. H. BRIGGS SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

I (Application filed May 21, 1900.) (no Model.) a Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 684,538. Patented 0st. |5, l90|IL H. BRIGGS.

SHUE SEWING MACHINE.

- (Application filed May 21, 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 684,538. Patented Oct. l5, l90l. H. BRIGGS.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

. (Application filed May 21, 190D.)

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N0. 684,538. 7 Patented Oct. l5, IQDI. H. BRIGGS.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shpot 4.

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No. 684,538. Patented 00f. I5, I90].

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SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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No. 684,538. Patented Oct. I5, 1901.

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SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21. 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Shea! 6.

No. 684,538. Patented Oct. l5, i90l. H. BRIGGS.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

No. 684,538. Patented 0st. [5, I90]. H. BRIGGS.

SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

(Application filed May ,21, 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet B.

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UNITED STATES 'ATENT Trice IIENRY BRIGGS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SIIOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NElV JERSEY, A CORPO RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE'SEWING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,538, dated October 15, 1901.

Application filed May 21, 1900. Serial No. 17,368. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Sewing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates generally to shoe-sewing machines, and more particularly to shoe-sewing machines of the wax-thread chain-stitch type, of which the commercial turn and welt sewing machines are examples.

\Velt and turn shoe-sewing machines as heretofore constructed are, generally speaking, of two types, in one of which the needle enters from the channel side and the awl from the welt or upper side of the work and in the other of which the needle enters from the welt or upper side of the work and the awl from the channel side. The latter type of machine has been found the more satisfactory in operation and has been almost universally adopted. In machines of the type last referred to the awl is commonly used only as a feeding instrument and only penetrates the between substance to a sufficient depth to engage it with suflicient certainty for feeding, it having been found impractical with forms of awl-actuating mechanism heretofore proposed to give the awl sufficient extent of movement to enable it to clear the other working parts, particularly the looper, and at the same time to cause it to clear the back of the channel and to properly puncture the between substances for the passage of the needle. I have, however, found it to be desirable to have the awl completely puncture the between substance, so that the needle has a substantially free passage through the same, and I have found such mode of operation particularly advantageous where thin insoles are to be used, since it removes the tendency of the needle to distort or wrinkle the insole when it has been forced through the same.

One of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate the operation last described, and to that end I have provided an improved awl-actuating mechanism whereby the awl is first given a positioning movement which brings its point adjacent to the working end of the channel-guide and thereafter is given an independent puncturing movement which causes it to penetrate the between substance and accurately puncture the same for the passage of the needle. One of the functions of the channel-guide in this class of machines is to serve as a guide or gage to enable the operator to position the channel or lip with relation to the needle and other stitch-forming instrumentalities, and the positioning of the point of the awl near the working end of the channel-guide brings it into the proper position to enter the channel or strike the base of the lip and puncture the between substance along a path correctly positioned to guide the needle. By making the puncturing movement of the awl independent of its positioning movement I am enabled to give the awl sufficient amplitude of movement to get it out of the Way of the other working parts of the machine and still cause it to puncture the between substances in proper relation to the path of the needle.

Another object of the present invention is to secure an improved mode of operation in setting the stitch whereby the stitch is set against a yielding and gradually-increasing resistance, much as the stitch is set in handsewing when that work is performed by a skilful and careful Workman.

In chain-stitch machines of the prior art, whether the stitch is set by the loop-drawing stroke of the needle or by a take-up or other auxiliary devices,the pull which sets the stitch has always been against the tension which offers an unyielding resistance until it has been overcome and the thread begins to run from the supply, when such resistance is decreased, since it requires a greater pull on the thread to start it through the tension than to continue its travel.

While it is common in chain-stitch sewing machines to use spring-controlled devicessuch as slack-thread controllers, auxiliary take-ups, and tension-cushioning deviceswhich engage the thread between the tension and stitch-setting devices, the tension of the springs controlling such devices has never been availed of to determine the tightness of the seam. Inyaccordance with the present invention I provide means for locking the thread or substantially increasing the resistance offered to the pull of the thread on the supply'side and interpose between such thread-lock and the needle a spring against the resistance of which the thread is pulled while the stitch is being set, said resistance determining the tightness of the stitch, and in this manner I secure a new mode of opera tion-that is, the setting of the stitch under a gradually-increasing strain substantially as the stitch is set by a hand workman.

I am aware that in lock-stitch sewing-machines it has been proposed to lock the thread on the supply side while the take-up is acting and to provide a spring-controlled truck to engage the supply-thread between such lock and the take-up; but it is to be noted that in such machines the shuttle tension determines the tightness of the stitch and not the resistance exerted by the spring controlling the truck which engages the supply-thread. Such devices so acting with the take-up are fur ther distinguished from the preferred form of my invention, hereinafter described, in that they are brought against a rigid stop and their yielding action is interrupted before the stitch is set, so that during a part of the stitch-setting operation they act like fiXed guide or thread rolls. In regard to the distinction last referred to, while I consider it of great imporiance as securing the best results in the preferred form of my invention I do not consider it as essential to distinguish my invention in its most generic sense from the prior art, provided the spring against which the thread is pulled exerts substantially a stitchsett'ing strain on the thread before its yielding action is interrupted.

The present invention has for its further object to improve the construction and mode of operation of machines of this class in the manner hereinafter pointed out.

To the above ends the present invention consists of the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter pointed out in this specification and defined in the claims.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention as applied to the well-known Good? year welt and turn machine, as shown and described in United States Letters Patent to French and Meyer, No. 412,701, dated'October'8, 1889, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a front view. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are side elevations of a portion of the awl-actuating mechanism, showing different positions thereof and showing diagrammatically the channel-guide and needle in proper correlative positions. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively side elevation and plan views illustrating thread-lock and portions of 'its actuating mechanism. Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are diagrammatic views, in side elevation,"

showing thread-lock, take-up, spring-con trolled thread-engaging device, and needle in details of their different relative positions. Figs. 1i and 15 are respectively a side eleva tion and plan view showing thread-engaging device and take-up and portions of their actuating mechanism. Figs. 16 and 17 are respectively side elevation and plan illustrating the thread-finger and portions of its actuating mechanism. Figs. 18 and 19 illustrate looper and details of its actuating mech-- anism, and Fig. 20 is a front view of awl and portions of its actuating mechanism.

Parts of the machine not specifically described herein may be and conveniently are the same as corresponding parts in said patented machine, and only such description of old parts will be given herein as is necessary to enable one skilled in the art to apply the present invention to said machine.

A represents the needle, which is of the hooked oscillatory type, actuated by a cam on the main shaft S and suitable connections, substantially as in said patented machine.

B represents the channel-guide, which is mounted upon a lever fulcrumed on the feedslide, substantially as in said patented machine. As in said machine, one of the functions of the channel-guide B is to position the work for proper correlative operation of the awl and needle. I

13 represents the feed-slide, which in its construction and arrangement and that of its actuating mechanismissubstantiallylike that of said patented machine.

0 represents the awl, which in the present embodiment of my invention I have mounted on an awl-carrier c, which is mounted upon the awl-carrier levers c and 0 The awl-car rier levers c and c are moved together to actuate the awl-carrier to give the awl its positioning movement, which brings its point adjacent to the working end of the channelguide B. The lever c then stops, and by a continued movement of the lever c the awl is given its puncturing movement. In the machine of the drawings this mode of operation is secured by the following mechanism: The levers c and c are in the form of bellcrank levers, each fulcrumed at its angle on a short shaft or stud 0 which is secured to a bracket (2 on the feed-slide B. In the upwardly-extending arm of the lever c is formed a slot 0 and in the upwardly-extending arm of the lever c is formed a slot 0 1 The slots 0 and c are engaged by a stud o which is secured in a fork formed on the bent lever c which is fulcrumed on the shaft 0 and the other arm of which carries a cam roll or truck which engages a cam-groove in the lateral face of the disk D, the arrangement of the lever c and its actuating-cam being substantially as in said patented machine. The levers c and c are free to oscillate independently about the stud 0 The slot 0 of the lever c is curved upwardly and outwardly and the above-d escribed arrangement is such that as the stud c is swung forward (toward the front of the machine) by the lever 0 both of the levers c and 0 will be swung downwardly together until the stud c enters the curved portion of the slot 0 when the downward motion of the lever 0 will stop and a continued movement of the lever 0 will cause the lever c to be further depressed independently of the lever 0'. While the shape of the slots 0 and c is such that when the stud o enters the curved portion of the slot 0 the lever 0 will stop, I prefor to provide on the hub of the lever c a stop 0 which is arranged to engage with a step c, secured to bracket 0 on the feedslide B. The stop 0 preferably consists of a pin mounted in suitable bearings in a projection on said bracket, in which it is free to slide, being normally supported by spring 0 which renders it yielding and prevents any jar or backlash during the operation of the machine. The lever c is curved or offset, so that its working end is brought into the same vertical plane as the working end of the lever 0 As shown in the drawings, the awl C is attached to the side of the awl-carrier c, which consists of two parallel plates 0 and 0 held at a fixed distance apart by means of shoulder-studs 0 The plates 0 and c embrace the ends of the levers c and c and the studs 0 are provided with antifriction-rolls which engage the slots 0 c and 0 The slot 0 is formed in the end of the lever c and the slots 0 and e in the end of the lever c, and said slots are so inclined to each other that while the two levers c and c are moving together there is no movement of the awl-carrier 0 relative to said levers; but when the lever 0 stops the further motion of the lever 0 causes the awlcarrier 0 to move the point of the awl 0 along a curved path which is substantially concentric and of substantially equal radius with the path of the needle. It will be noted in this connection that while the awl is actuated by the simultaneous movement of both levers o and c -that is to say, during its positioning movementits point moves along the arc of a circle of which the stud o is the center and that while the awl is actuated by the movement of the lever o alonethat is to say, during its puncturing movement-its point moves along a pathof different curvature, which forms an angle to its first path of movement. In using the term angle I do not confine myself to the strict mathematical definition thereof, but use it to include a mode of operation in which the two paths of movement of the awl are tangent to each other at the point of their intersection, but in which the general directions of the two paths of movement are angularly disposed with reference to each other.

While no specific looper actuating mechanism is an essential feature of the present invention, I have shown herein a novel form of looper-actuating mechanism which I consider to be an improvement over the prior art and to contribute to the most perfect embodiment of my invention in a shoe-sewing machine.

My improved looper mechanism is described as follows: The looper D is secured to the looper-lever d, which is mounted to have a vertically-oscillating and laterally-swinging movement about a fulcrum d on a fixed portion of the machine, substantially as shown in said patented machine. The looper-lever cl carries a truck d mounted to rotate in a supporting-fork d which is provided with a shank d projected through suitable bearings in the lever cl, in which it is free to rotate. In the disk D is formed a substantially V-shaped cam-groove d and the periphery of the truck (1 is made of corresponding shape,

so that when brought into engagement with said groove the truck at fits accurately therein. A spring 61 is provided which holds the truck at in engagement with groove C1 The looper mechanism just described differs from that of said patented machine in respect to the truck, the manner of mounting the truck upon the lever, the shape of the truck, and the shape of the cam-groove engaged by the truck, and the advantage of the construction is that the wear of the parts does not occasion lost motion, but the device will continue to work accurately after the parts have be come considerably worn. As before stated, this feature is not essential to my present in- Vention and is described herein merely as being a part of the machine in which my in vention is preferably embodied. The looper mechanism of the machine of the drawings also difiers from that of said patented machine in the shape of the cam which actuates the looper lever, the cam of said patented machine being so shaped that it causes the looper to encircle the needle, while in the present machine it is so shaped as to cause the looper to only partially encircle the needle sufficiently to hook the thread in the barb. The method of looping of the patented machine gives what is termed a twisted loop and the method of looping in the present machine gives what is called a straight loop. The machine of the drawings also differs from said patented machine in the mechanism for actuating the thread-finger. In said patented machine the thread-finger is mounted on a short shaft, which is perpendicular to the plane of motion of the needle, and is actuated by a crank on said shaft connected by a link with a bent lever actuated by a suitablyshaped cam. In the machine of the drawings the thread-finger E is mounted upon a shaft 0, which is slightly inclined to the plane of motion of the needle and is actuated by means of a segmental pinion e, carried by the shaft e and which meshes with a segmental gear carried by one arm of the bent lever 6 the other arm of which carries a cam roll or truck engaging a suitably-shaped campath on the face of the disk E. By mounting the thread-finger E upon a shaft which is inclined to the plane of motion of the needle I secure a movement of the thread-finger along a path inclined to said plan e, and thereby enable the thread finger to carry the thread back of the needle when it is in its advanced position to bring it more nearly into the plane of motion of the needle to insure a more perfect operation of the looper. This mode of operation is of importance where the looper only partially encircles the needle, as in the machine of the drawings, and as well known to those skilled in the art there are many advantages in so operating the looper if certainty of its looping action can be'secured;

The cam which actuates the thread-finger E is preferably so timed with reference to the needle and looper actuating mechanism that while the needle A is in its advanced position in the stock the thread-finger E advances, engaging the thread between the eye of the looper D and the stock and draws out a bight of thread toward the plane of motion of the needle and in the general direction of the receding movement of the needle A. The thread-finger E stops before it has completed its motion in this direction,and the looper acts to bring the thread into the hook of the needle. After the looper has looped the thread it stops and the needle begins to retract, the thread-finger resuming its movement toward the plane of motion of the needle and in the general direction of its retracting movement and completes its stroke in this direction, the advantage of this mode of operation being, besides that already stated, that the thread is kept from slipping out of the hook of the needle and there, is substantially no rendering of the thread in the hook of the needle While the hook of the needle is approaching the stock.

While I consider the above arrangement to be conduciveto successful operation of a complete sewing-machine embodying my invention, it is by no means an essential feature thereof, but my invention may be embodied in a machine without a thread-finger or in a machine having the thread-finger arranged and operated as in the prior art.

In the machine of the drawings the thread after leaving the wax-pot passes around a pcripherally-grooved disk preferably similar to the disk forming a part of the tension in said patented machine, and the thread-lock hereinbefore referred to as embodied in the machine of the drawings consists in means for locking said disk against rotation, whereby the thread is held at the supply side against the stitch-setting pull of the take-up. In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings to accomplish the setting of the stitch against the yielding and gradually-increasing resistance I have provided a spring-controlled thread-engagin g device consisting of a thread roll or truck carried by a suitable spring-controlled lever engaging the thread between the tension and the machine.

the take-up and arranged to offer an uninterrupted yielding and graduallyincreasing resistance to the pull of the thread by the take-up.

I will now describe in detail the devices above referred to and their operations with relation to each other and to the stitch forming and setting devices of the machine.

T in the drawings represents a disk conveniently of the construction above described, around which the thread leads from the waxpot to the stitch forming and setting devices. The disk T is mounted on a short shaft 25, having hearings in which it is free to rotate in a bracket projected from the frame of On the other side of said bracket the shaft 25 carries a ratchet 6 which is arranged to be engaged by a pawl t carried by the lever 15, arranged to tip about a fulcrum t on the bracket i. To the forwardly-extending arm of the lever is connected a rod t, which is connected with one arm of the bent lever t the other arm of which carries a cam-roll engaging a suitablyformed cam-path in the face of the disk E. To secure the positive engagement of the pawl and ratchet and to prevent any danger of breaking the parts by excess of motion,

the lever t is preferably connected to the rod i as follows: The rod i passes through the lever i suitable bearings being provided therein, in which said rod is free to slide andtip slightly. Above the lever 23 the rod 6 is provided with a collar i against which the end of the levrz is held by means of a spring which bears upon a collar 25 which surrounds lhe rod 25 and is free to slide thereon and upon a nut i on the end of said rod. The above-described arrangement is such-that when the rod i is depressed by the action of the cam the collar 15 depresses the lever t disengaging the pawl t from the ratchet t and when the rod 25 is raised by theaction of the cam the lever 15 is raised by thecollar t supported by the spring t, until the pawl t firmly engages the ratchet 25 when any further upward movement of the rod 15 is taken up in overcoming the resistance of the spring t the rod 25 sliding through the lever 15 and compressing the spring 25.

In the machine of the drawings the thread,- engaging device comprises a thread-truck F, which is mounted on one arm of the bent leverf, fulcrumed on the stud f on the frame of the machine, the other arm of said lever being pivotally connected with arod f free to slide and tip slightly in suitable bearings in a lugf projected from the frame of the machine. On the other side of the lug f is provided a coiled spring j, which surrounds the rod f bearing at one end against the lug f and at the other end against suitable nuts on the end of the rod f the above-described arrangement being such that to raise the truck F the tension of the springf must be overcome, and such spring will exerta gradually-increasing and uninterrupted yielding resistance against the upward movement of the truck F.

' H represents the take-up, which is mounted on the take-up lever h, to which motion is imparted by a cam, substantially as in said patented machine. The timing of the cam, however, in the preferred form of my invention shown in the drawings should be slightly different from the timing of the cam in said patented machine, as will be hereinafter explained, and I have provided said take-up with an auxiliary take-up mounted thereon and forming the thread-engaging member thereof. As shown, the auxiliary take-up consists of the short arm h, mounted to have a limited oscillatory movement about a stud h secured in the take-up lever h. The upward movement of the auxiliary take-up h is limited by a projection 71 on the take-up lever, which contacts with the arm 71., the downward movement of the auxiliary takeup being limited by the stop h carried by the arm h, which engages a stop h on the takeup lever h. A spring h is provided whereby the arm h is normally held in its raised position.

A thread-truck K is provided, which is mounted on the end of the stud f,whieh forms the fulcrum on the lever f. The lead of the thread in the machine of the drawings is around the disk T, thence over the truck K, thence under the thread-engaging device F, thence over the auxiliary take-up h, through the looper to the work. The timing of the cams which actuate the tension-lock and the takeup lever will be best understood by a description of the operation of these devices in relation to the operation of the needle.

Assuming that the needle A is in its retracted position, the pawl t is then raised slightly above the ratchet t and the thread is unlocked, the take-up H then being at the limit of its downward stroke. (See Fig. 9.) As soon as the needle A starts forward the take-up I-I starts upon its upward stroke to take up the slack thread in the loop and the pawl 25 is brought into engagement with the ratchet i to lock the thread to prevent the take-up from stealing thread while it is drawing up the slack in the loop. (See Fig. 10.) The pawl t remains in engagement with the ratchet t, locking the thread until after the needle has penetrated the work and the take up has been raised sufficiently to draw up the slack loop against the shank of the needle. As soon as the take-up has so drawn up the slack loop the pawl t is raised, and being disengaged from the ratchet t unlocks the thread, so that the continued movement of the take-up draws the thread then left to run freely from the supply. (See Fig. 11.) After the take-up has drawn sufficient thread from the supply for the formation of the next stitch and before the takeup has completed its upward stroke the pawl t is again depressed and engages the ratchet t once more locking the thread (see Fig. 12)

and keeping it locked during the remaining portion of the upward stroke of the take-up, (see Fig. 13,) which portion of the stroke of the take-up is the stitch-setting portion-that is, the portion which acts to pull the thread which forms the stitch into the position which it is to finally occupy in the finished seam. As soon as the thread is looked, as just described, the pull of the take-up on the thread is resisted by the thread-engaging device F, which during the stitch-setting portion of the stroke of the take-up is raised against the tension of the spring f so that while the take-up is acting to set the stitch the threadengaging device F is exerting a graduallyincreasing yielding pull on the thread, which after it begins to act continues uninterruptedly during the completion of the stitch-setting operation. The cam which aetuates the take-up lever is so timed with reference to the movement of the needle and other stitchforming devices as to secure the mode of operation just described, and the relative timing of said cam is preferably such as to secure a dwell of the take-up at the limit of its stitch-setting stroke, during which dwell the thread is allowed to remain under the full stitch-setting strain, causing the yielding material to be compressed under said strain. This feature is of importance where layers of more or less elastic material, like leather, are to be united, since if drawn together by a sudden pull of the thread the layers will react against such pull, while with a more gradually exerted pull, as in the present machine, time is given for a more gradual compression of the layers, allowing them to become more or less set in their compressed position.

The operation of my improved awl mech-' anism, as shown in the drawings, is described as follows: As the needle is being withdrawn from the stock in its retracting movement, the feed-slide being then in its retracted position to the limit of its stroke toward the right, Fig. 2, the awl C is given its positioning movement by the combined movement of the two levers c and 0 The awl Ois moved during this positioning movement from its raised or retracted position (see Fig. 3) to a position in which its point is adjacent to and preferably substantially on a line with the end of the channel-guide. (See Fig. 4.) This positioning movement of the awl is completed and the downward movement of lever 0' ceases just as the needle leaves the stock. After the lever c has stopped and while the needle is drawing back the loop of thread the lever c is moved down ward independently of the lever c and the puncturing movement of the awl commences. machine of the drawings the puncturing movement at this time is only continued far enough to cause the awl to enter the material a sufficient distance to gain sufficient hold to feed the work. (See Fig. 5.) After the point of the awl has been projected into fro In the the Work, as above stated, the puncturing movement of the awl is interrupted and the feed-slide moves to the left to feed the work. As soon as the feed is accomplished the lever c is further depressed, the lever 0' remaining stationary, causing the awl to complete its puncturing movement and puncture the between substance for the passage of the needle. (See Fig. (3.) After the awl has punctured the stock it is retracted by a reverse movement of the levers c and 0 the needle following it in its retracting movement and entering and passing through the puncture made thereby.

WVhile, as just described in the preferred form of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the positioning movement of the awl brings its point to substantially a level with the working end of the channel-guide, I do not consider the present invention limited to such a mode of operation, the primary object of the positioning movement of the awl being to bring it into a position in which its point is adjacent to the working end of the channel-guide and can be brought against the base of the channel or lip without obstruction to accurately penetrate the between substance for the passage of the needle. Such point may be above or below the working end of the channel -guide-that is to say, the point of the awl may at the end of such movement be slightly within the between substance or stand just above it Some of the advantages of having the puncturing movement of the awl occur partly before and partly after the feed, as hereinbefore described, are that the awl being only partially through the material is out of the way of the welt-guide, and since itprojects only a short distance beyond the Working end of the channel-guide a shoe is more easily entered to be operated upon by the machine. It will be noted in this connection that the awl O, as shown in the drawings, is so formed that its piercing end, including that portion thereof which is projected into the between substance, is curved and corresponds in curvature to the needle, while its shank portion is of a less degree of curvature. The advantage of this construction is that during the puncturing movement of the awl the back of the awl does not strike against the back of the channel or in a lipped insole against the surface of the sole and tend to force the point of the awl out of its proper path. I consider this construction of the awl as a useful adjunct to my present invention and of importance in securing its most perfect embodiment.

Having thus described the preferred form of my invention and its mode of operation,'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, mechanism for forming and setting a stitch, a thread-lock for locking the thread while the stitch is being set, and

a spring-controlled thread-engaging device offering an uninterrupted yielding and gradually-increasing resistance to the pull on the thread while the stitch is being set, substantially as described.

2. A chain-stitch shoe-so wing machine, having, in combination, a needle, a looper, a stitch-setting take-up, a thread-lock for looking the thread while the stitch is being set, and a spring-controlled thread-engaging device, offering an uninterrupted yielding and gradually-increasing resistance to the pull on the thread by the take-up while the stitch is being set, substantially as described.

3. A chain-stitch shoe-sewin g machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, a looper, a take-up acting successively to take slack thread from the precedingloop, to draw thread from the supply, and to set the stitch, a threadlock acting to lock the thread after the threadpulling movement of the take-up, and during the stitch-setting movement of the take-up, and connected mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

at. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, a looper, a take-up acting successively to take slack thread from the preceding loop and to set the stitch, a thread-lock acting to lock the thread after the slack-taking movement, and during the stitch-setting movement of the take-up, connected mechanisms for actuating the needle, looper and take-up, and a spring-controlled th read-engagin g device ol'terin g yieldin g and grad ually-increasin g resistance to the pull on the thread by the take-up during the stitch-setting movement of the take-up, substantially as described.

5. A chain-stitch shoe-se wing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, alooper, a take-up acting successively to take slack thread from the preceding loop, to draw thread from the supply, and to set the stitch, a threadlock acting to lock the thread during the slack-taking movement, to release the thread during the thread-drawing movement, and to lock the thread during the stitch-setting I movement of the take-up, and connected mechanisms for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

6. A chain-stitch shoe-sewin g machine, hav ing, in combination, stitch-forming mechan ism including a curved hooked needle, a chan nel-guide, an awl, means to move the awl from its retracted position to a position with its point adjacent to the working end of the channel-guide, and mechanism to thereafter impart to the awl an independent puncturing movement to form a puncture in the Work to' receive the needle, substantially as described.

7 A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine-hav ing, in combination, stitch-forming mechamism including a curved hooked needle, a channel-guide, an awl, movable from its retracted position to a position with its point adjacent to the working end of the channel guide, and thereafter having an independent puncturing movement along a path angularly disposed with relation to its former path of motion to form a puncture in the work to receive the needle, and mechanism for actuating the awl, substantially as described.

8. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine,hav ing, in combination,fstitch-forming mechanism including a curved hooked needle, a channel-guide, an awl, movable along a circular path from its retracted position to a position with its point adjacent to the working end of the channel-guide and thereafter having an independent puncturing movement along a path of different curvature to form a puncture in the work to receive the needle, and mechanism for actuating the aw], substantially as described.

9. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine,having, in combination, a hook-needle, alooper, an awl having a movement to penetrate the work, a lateral movement to feed the work and thereafter a puncturing movement to puncture the work for the passage of the needle therethrough, and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

10. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming and setting mechanisms, a thread -lock which locks the thread when the stitch is being set, and a spring which determines the tightness to which the stitch is set, substantially as described.

11. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a needle, a looper, a stitch-setting take-up having a dwell at the limit of its stitch-setting movement, a threadlock which locks the thread when the stitch is being set and during said dwell, a spring which determines the tightness to which the stitch is set, and connected mechanisms for actuating the needle, looper, and take-up, substantially as described.

12. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook-needle, a needle-threading looper forming a straight loop, the thread-drawing movement of which is in the general direction of the retracting movement of the needle and approaches the plane of such movement, and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

13. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a needle, a looper, a thread-finger movable in the general direction of the receding movement of the needle in two steps, the first step being taken before and the second after the receding movement of the needle commences, and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

14. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine, having, in combination, a circularly-curved hooked needle, a looper, an awl, the piercing end of which including that portion that pene trates the material is curved and corresponds substantially with the needle in curvature, and the shank of which is of a less degree of curvature, and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' HENRY BRIGGS.

, Witnesses:

HORACE VAN EVEREN, ALFRED H. HILDRETHi 

